Former Councilman Eyes Fort Bend Shakeup

Daniel Wong, a former Sugar Land at-large councilman, is now Fort Bend County’s interim judge and is positioned to run for a full four-year term in November 2026. (houstonpublicmedia.org) Wong first entered the race on June 13, 2025, when he announced a Republican primary bid for county judge outside the Fort Bend County Justice Center. At the time, Houston Public Media reported he was challenging then-County Judge KP George, a Democrat facing criminal charges. (houstonpublicmedia.org) Since then, the office has changed hands. Fort Bend County’s official website now lists Daniel Wong as county judge, and the county’s elected-officials page also names him as the current officeholder. (fortbendcountytx.gov 1) (fortbendcountytx.gov 2) The opening came after George’s legal troubles deepened. Houston Public Media reported on April 4, 2025, that George was arrested on felony money-laundering charges after a prior indictment tied to accusations that racist attacks against his 2022 campaign were fabricated. (houstonpublicmedia.org) By April 10, 2026, Houston Public Media reported that George had been suspended and Wong was ordered to take over the county judge’s duties. The same outlet reported Texas law calls for removal of a county official convicted of a felony, though George had until sentencing in June to appeal. (houstonpublicmedia.org 1) (houstonpublicmedia.org 2) That matters because county judge is the top elected county post in Fort Bend. The county says the judge presides over Commissioners Court, which oversees more than 3,000 employees and a budget of nearly $500 million. (fortbendcountytx.gov) It also matters because Fort Bend has been politically competitive for years. The Texas Tribune noted that George’s 2018 win unseated Republican Robert Hebert after four terms, marking a major countywide shift. (texastribune.org) Wong brings an established local profile to that fight. Fort Bend County says he served as a Sugar Land at-large councilmember from 2002 to 2008 and built an engineering firm with 13 offices and more than 400 employees. (fortbendcountytx.gov) The 2026 ballot will give voters a formal chance to decide whether Wong keeps the office. Fort Bend County says county officers are elected in November of even-numbered years, with the next general election set for November 3, 2026, and the county judge seat listed among the offices up that year. (fortbendcountytx.gov) So the shakeup is no longer just a campaign launch. A onetime city councilman who entered as a challenger is already running the county, and Fort Bend voters will decide in November whether that temporary handoff becomes a full term. (fortbendcountytx.gov) (fortbendcountytx.gov)